Hands-on PNP chief attends APEC security meeting

Despite his appointment as top cop, Philippine National Police ( PNP) chief Director General Ricardo Marquez is still hands-on with the security preparations for Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) meetings set in August in Cebu.

Marquez attended the twoday contingency planning meeting with the Task Group Cebu on Friday in Cebu City, which was set prior to the announcement of Marquez’s appointment as PNP chief.

Marquez is known for being a hardworking officer by other police officials, including his predecessor retired Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas II said Marquez first caught President Aquino’s attention

during Holy Week last year, when the country was being threatened by the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

“Although on Holy Week vacation, Director Marquez was among those police officials who mapped up plans to track down more than 170 (arriving) passengers to ensure MERS-CoV would not spread. It was the first time the President took notice of Director Marquez,” Roxas said.

Roxas said that since then, President Aquino kept track of Marquez, who also headed the successful security preparations for the visit of Pope Francis last January, as well as the security operations for the year-long APEC meetings all over the country and the cascading of Lambat-Sibat in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.

“I trust the President’s choice of someone in the police force with proven track record. If I can only describe (Marquez) in one word, it’s napakasipag (extremely hardworking). He’s proven his mettle and capability, as well as his competence, in the major activities we’ve faced in the past few months,” Roxas added.